Description

Further to the north and concealed from the highway bu Big Chick Hill is the more remote expanse of Fletchers Bluff. Although Fletchers offers a range of difficulty and terrain features, it is most known for the Sundog Wall on the far right end of the cliff. Here, honed sport climbers will find their peace with slightly overhanging face climbing on beautiful square holds. Sundog routes are in the 5.10 to 5.12 range. On the opposite end of the cliff and for those with a little less bicep power, is the newly developed Kansas Wall which boasts slightly less than vertical face climbing in the 5.9 to 5.11 range. Easy slabs lead up to looming roofs in the center of the cliff. The aptly named Acrophobia breaches the biggest roof. Most of the climbing st Fletchers is a departure from crystal pinching norm of Clifton.

Getting There

Continue on Route 9 for eight miles from route 180. Look for a gravel logging road, #09-13-0, on the left. Follow the dominant logging road, passing three intersections for 2.8 miles to a widened pullout on the right. Specifically, at 1.3 miles from Route 9 you will come to the first intersection which is a left fork. Continue straight, slightly right. Another.4 miles a final fork to the right as you near the pullout. Often there is a cairn marking this spot. With the exception of mud season, all roads are drivable in a passenger car.

The route starts off with a slab buldge after clipping the first bolt. Pull over the buldge and continue to second bolt. From here on its crimpy and technical face climbing to a side left leaning corner. Make some big moves on far feet to pull over the corner and continue with technical face climbing on small crimpy holds....[more]Browse More Classics in ME

IMPORTANT! You can no longer get to the crag using the fire road given in the description. That road has been blocked off with large rocks.

NEW DIRECTIONS: Take Chick Hill Road (On the left after parks pond and before Chick Hill). When Chick Hill Road (the pavement) curves to the right, take the dirt road on the left. Take the next road on the right (Bradbury ____ Road I believe). From here follow the main road for several miles of, currently washed out, dirt roads. Eventually there will be a spot where the road forks and both look to be well traveled, take the right. Follow this to a pullout on the right with a steep dirt bank, probably has 4wheeler tracks on it and a small fire pit in the pullout. The trail is across the road, but is poorly marked but distinguishable. Use caution when driving on the dirt roads, lots of the potholes aren't too bad, but at least one spot has a washout all the way down to the stream below and several spots have bad potholes. I would strongly recommend high clearance.

You can actually follow the instructions in the guidebook it just results in about a 1 mile hike to the cliff. Which isn't bad at all unless you are used to the delightful approaches of Clifton. Just Park at the boulders blocking the road and walk over them and straight through the intersection on the hill. About 3/4 mile from the boulders is a pullout on the left and the climbers trail will be on the right. Just head for the cliffs through the easiest path and you will get there.

Not sure about the quality of those other roads at this time, but these directions can be driven in a regular old car.

Driving directions to Fletcher Bluff: You can easily drive to Fletcher in a regular car at this point. From Route 180 and Route 9 intersection drive east on 9 for 2.7 miles. Look for Stagecoach Road on the left (a dirt road almost immediately after the pullout for Park's Pond climbing and hiking). Alternatively continue on to the Chick Hill Road on the left and take this. As it starts to go to the right, Stagecoach Road is on the left). It's just a triangle. From Stagecoach Road take a left (or right if you came in from Chick Hill Road) onto Bradbury Brook Road. Stay on the main road (dirt) for 4.4 miles to the parking spot. The spot is not yet marked but has a small gravel bank on the right and open grassy area on the left. (You can, as Jayson says also hike in to here following the original directions). Both ways are passable in a car although the Bradbury Brook option is better.

Originally there were three approach trails. Now there are 2 until the 3rd one gets remarked. To get to the Sun Dog Wall follow the trail from the grassy area northeast for about 10 minutes. To get to the middle of the cliff (Sticky Toad, etc)start down the Sun Dog Trail and almost immediately go left behind some mounds. The trail then goes back right and then goes in to the cliff. Both have some easily managed stream crossings depending on the current beaver activity. I have an addendum for the guidebook. No real changes to anything right of Sticky Toad except better numbering of the climbs with the topos. Questions or route info, send me an email. Have fun.